This invention relates in general to floor jacks.
Floor jacks are mechanical devices used to lift loads or apply forces, typically in a vertical direction, when transitioning from a collapsed state to an extended state. In many floor jacks, a horizontal piston engages a vertical lifting member through a linkage, such as a bellcrank.
Floor jacks usually include castors that engage the ground in an extended state and wheels that engage the ground in a collapsed state. This generally provides a low profile, with easy maneuverability, when collapsed, while providing significant lifting forces when transitioning to an extended state.
However, height of a floor jack in the collapsed state and the maximum extension of a floor jack is limited to the design of a particular jack. The collapsed height and maximum extension may be selected depending upon the intended use of the jack, such as use as an automotive lift. For example, a jack to be used for a low profile vehicle, such as a sports car, may have a low collapsed height and a low maximum extension, and a jack to be used for a truck or other high profile vehicle may have a high collapsed height and a high maximum extension.